Pocket football game apparatus



E.' A. 'sPAus'I-z 2,454,891

POCKET FOOTBALL GANE APPARATUS Filed 2s, 1947 2 sneets-snae't I @ff A f2- CDN-m01. cI-IART o o I UFFENSNEI par. ABH 1 055 o o o Q 0 0 o TEAM 11AM IN1-:a

RUNNING DEM GAIN ND GAIN As LOSS A5 Is As GAIN I D :A INDICATE); o INnIcAriD N TED se: RuIFYzE l Iran. INYERCEPTUN FASSN? J G'SN m IA mm www /20 INDICATED IF Ncensn UFFENSE DIFENEEINBEGIGIV Mme nccovsas imm, nu. AGAIN INDscIsIvr Fon A-nns o e a o AGAINST AGAIN5-r BD'YH EIDIS o PENALTY D TEAM m nu IunlcIsIvs DEF. rfAM No Ay FIELD GUAI. an. PUINT I ,Q1 A Arm GMD www am www j e. e I9 aff/jg e 4.. /9 l IIII'e/Itol Allor'neys NOV. 3 0, Egli 'EQ A, SPAUSE POCKET FOOTBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed may as, 1947 I livel/tor ffl in" "f- Atlomeys i forth.,

tion;

Patented Nov. 30, 1948 -.,t;iifiiiitE-D .PATETENTF Vp EF1 GE `2,454,891 ,frog/Km soutenu, Armeniens Edward v A? Spause, PiniladelphiziaA Pa. l-,lamination(May 23, 1947; sei-ial-*Noariasol Claims. 1

fkThis inventionfrelates to. improvements game Y, apparatusfor .playing ,simulated football and .the

ilike, andmore., particularly tegame apparatus fof.. this ytype especially designated for- `carryingn the pocket, a primary object of the inventionlbee ..1 ing .to 1:n:ovide.7 an. unusually compact,V attractive and eiiicient game device of.,..this nature afording, an f unusual degree. of, interestand f amusement.

(Cil 2739434) 5 i vl'igurei13visfa.right-hand end elevation of the fleft-handnsection' of'flthewgamef-.board 'shown in Rigure 9;

f'Figu-re' -14-is a-t1fansver5e` sectional= View :taken -alongitheflinef itt-LI Il of Figure 9;

Another important objectfolthisinvention'` isili) `'-l?ifgure 15 isnal-left-,handrendelevationvoflthe toproyide game apparatus offthe ,character indi- ,cated above.,A which can; be made ofv ak `variety of Y l -.rnaterials,-but particularly, of ..moldable.plastic .materialain various visually attractiveand me #right-hand :section ofthegamevboardsshown in "1 Figurey 9,w shovvingil the :game-progress 1 lasserrfply 1irii-positionlthereon; and

Figure 16 is a plan view of the control chart.

chanically eicient-and:structurallyruggeddorrnsg 15 Referring-in:detailito- -the1 drawings-tthenovel at-,relativelylow cost.

, ,A-furtheriimportant object of this ,invention is to provide lgame apparatus of the characterrindicated above involving a novel game progress india novel gameboard, whereby the pla-yingiof i-the f., game is facilitated.

, still vfurtherimportant object of this -inven- '-,tion is to provide` game.v apparatus1 of-the l charac- .f ::ter\.indicatedabove, vin I.which the Agameboaitdisifoldable toy a compact size --when not in inse;I` and when so folded acts as a container for the .game pieces involved in the playing of a game therewith.

a :game apparatus of i fthe'spresent. invention f 'comr vprises the game board ii,the single game'progress indicating assembly t'gthelsinglefordinaryldie i9, inthe three specialr dicg 20;" 2 l-,t 22: and Lthencontrol cating:4 piece;. ass'ociatedcin1a1 novel manner withl '20-r 'chart' 23.

The game board il', which mayfbeiconstructed ain. any desired dimensions, comprisesstwo gener (n: ally. similarelongated rectangular: liali/'eslz or sections 25 and 25 of shallow finvertediafboxiform,

25 :hinged together by means offlaterallyfspaced outsetrhinge 'barreis 2 l yon the lower edge; of *.theiend of the left hand: section 25,- azsinglefintermediately ir'fdisposed 'outset' hinge 'barrel '28. on .the ylower .edge -ebfathe'zadjacent lend ofA therightliandnsection ther important objects and advantageous fea-S* 3 0: 2 6.;-rwith=;the1 hinge 'pin` -29 inserted` throughfthe tures ci rthis invention vwill kie-apparent `from the following detailed description .fand lcappended w'rdrawingsfwherein, forzpurposes of illustration only, a presently preferredyrembo'diment isirset ":Inzthefdraw-ings: y f

Figure 1 is a top perspective vieWpi-fthevgame board, showing the same in unfolded or extended playing position;

,.-Llhingelbarrels When .the sections 25aandi12: are unfoldedto the open on playing position, Vshown in cFigures; l: and' lflyfrom `the closed orfoldedposiotion shown'in FigureZ, they'are `leveledwith rel z; 35.'.fspectlto each other byfthe abutting ofthe projec- `Iitionsllli4 on the* upper edges'oftheirafacing .ends

nprovidedzrfor the:` purpose. t

The interiors of thesections andi-26 Aare proscale,- showing :the gamefboardsin oldediposition,

. f cial: die game pieces;

wardly :from the lower-edgesof /tlfiexside and end awallsfbf the-,sect-ions, these partiti-ons :servingi as vi'im'einiorcemen-ts, asi-dividers: 10f.-the iinteriors `oi vthe zu' sections into,` i game+piece Av'cempartments,11and; a s

Figure 7 is a perspective view of theisinglenrdiii 45f rBStS, 5th@ 'event 'the g2b-me iblds used'llDOIl i "Figure: 8- is` an;l elevation of: :thergamei-:prog ress indicating assembly, involving thexrcombined .:yardsindicator and downs indicator;andcpai'tly f broken away to show theirz'mechanicaliicoopera-t 50i`a'long'the centralizedlongitudinal 81015933 .Which avare-formed ein ftheiftops A3.401" :the sectigns: 2,5;v and tion; y lfFigurez 9 iis-a contracted-i top ,iplanflview oi the l `argam`e-fiboard- 'inf unfoldedy position, with interval parts shown in dotted-,lines and -ingypartialfsecan uneven surface, to prevent projections-@neuen surfaces from interfering with the movement of the game-progress indicatingassembly which is generally designatediand-.vwhich is slidable in and "s l Thefslotsf; yopen :throughfthe: inner ,ends

of the sections ftopeimitthe 'installation-,and removalz i of -i.theyrgamegprogress indicating i assemf 55 bly I8.

vided lWithtl'aterallyespaced longitudinal;partitions Opposite sides of the sections 25 and 26 have inside longitudinal strips 25 depending below the lower edges of the section sides and acting as supporting feet. The feet are staggered on the sections, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, so that they will not interfere with each other when the sections are closed. The outsides of the feet have detent beads 26' arranged to engage in depressions 2'1- in the section sides, to yieldably hold the sections closed.

The assembly I8 comprises the generally cylindrical football shaped yards indicator 35 having slots 36 formed in its end to slidably receive the edges of the slots 33 in the game board top 34, so that the indicator `is positioned transversely of the game board, as shown in Figures 9, 11, 14 and 15. A circular keyway 3l surrounds the middle of the yards indicator, to receive the key 38 projecting from the bore of `the square block-like downs indicator 39 which is the second member of the game-progress indicator 18. The four faces 40 of the downs indicator are marked consecutively with the numerals "1, 2," "3 and {[4), l

The pointed ends of the yards indicator 35 serve as pointers to position the assembly IB accurately with respect to the yard stripes or marks 4|,.as shown in Figure 1, divide the playing eld 42, which extends for the major portion of the length of the top of the game board. The playing el-d is divided into designated units of five and ten yards, each of which is subdivided by a corresponding number of yard stripes or marks 4|.-

The ordinary die I9 shown in Figures 3 and 7, has the usual dot markings on its four faces, including the six marking, and is therefore hereinafter referred to as the six die.

The special die 2U, shown in Figure 4, has three one-pip markings, two two-pip, and one threepip markings.

The special die 2| shown in Figure 5, has normal markings, except thatthe six-pip marking is replaced by an X.

The special die 22, shown in Figure 6, has two.

A markings, two B markings, one AB marking, and a Loss-Inter marking.

As shown in Figure 2, all four of the dice may be stored away in one of the compartments dened by the partitions within the game board, so as to be safely carried thereby when the game board is closed. The indicating assembly i8 may be similarly stored and carried therein. If desired the assembly I8 and the dice may be of such size and the disposition of the partitions 3| such that the game pieces may be frictlonally held lagainst. rattling and shifting position within the closed game board.

The control chart 23, shown in Figure 16, has various vertical and horizontal columns, indicating the results of voluntary selections of plays by the players and casts of the dice. The game as here disclosed is primarily designed for two players, one of whom shall be designated team A and the' other team B, according to the following:

Rutas FOR PLAYING 1. Number of players: Two. 2. Goals: Each player chooses a team letter .and retains that letter and goal, so marked,

through the entire game. Do not change goals.

3. Length of periods: By agreement. v

4. Opening kick-off: May be decided by a throw of the dice.

5. During play the team on the oiiensive handles the dice.

6. All the dice are thrown together, and counted on each play, except as noted in Rules 8 and 9.

7. Gains and losses: All gains and losses are determined by multiplying together, all the numbers turned up on each throw of the dice.

Nowar-For this purpose X equals l.

Efcamples.-If the dice read four, two and two, these would be multiplied and would equal 16, or if the dice read four, two and X," these would be multiplied and would equal 8; (and within the 15-yard line) if the dice read two and X, these would be multiplied and would equal 2. See rule 8.

8. 15-yard rule: When the ball is on either 15- ;vard line, or between that point and the nearest goal line, the six (standard) die is counted only to register fumbles and penalties; it is not counted for gains or losses.

9. Control (lettered) die: The control die only is thrown when fumbles and penalties are in question, and on a try for a field goal or pointafter touch down. It is not thrown on the kicko'.

10. Fumbles: Three of the same number. Aces, or (3) deuces, or (3) treys.

11. Penalties: Two aces .and X equals 5 yards, two deuces and X equals 10 yards, two treys and X equals 15 yards.

12. The kick-off: The team kicking off throws the three numbered dice. The product of this throw indicates the number of yards beyond the 50-yard line, on the receiving teams side, where the ball is to be put into play.

Eamples-lf the product is 2, the ball is placed down on the iS-yard line; if the product is 45, it is placed on the 5-yard line, etc.

Noria-If 50 or more is rolled on the kick-olf, the ball has gone into the end-zone, and is put into play on the .20-yard line. 1

13. Announcing playz-The offensive team player chooses his own plays, but must announce, before the dice are thrown, whether he intends to run or pass If he neglects to do so, the opposing player has the privilege of calling that play.

Running and passing Four throws of the dice (4 plays) are allowed after a team gains possession of the ball, or makes a rst-down.

15. All gains and losses are marked off from the point of scrimmage.

16. Any product of a dice throw that carries the ball across the opponents goal line, scores a touchdown.

Kicking from scrimmage 17. The offensive team is compelled to kick on the 4th play (4th down) if it needs l0 or more yards for a 1st down. (See rule 21.)

18. The team kicking, may choose to throw the dice until 20 yards or more are registered on one throw.

19. After a kick has been registered the defensive team puts the ball into play at the point indicated.

20. The control die is used on kicking from scrimmage in order vto decide fumbles and penalties.

21. Field goal: The team on offense may elect to try for a field goal when it is on or within its opponents Sil-yard line.

22. When the dice throw indicates oneiof the teams or moves shown in the top horizontal column of the control chart 23, the move of the indicating assembly 32, to be made is that indicated in the vertical column therebeloW Which is opposite to the type of play indicated in the extreme left hand vertical column of the control chart. Where gain as indicated appears on the chart, the product of numbers which come up on the dice as cast is meant.

23. Except on kick-oit, fumbles and penalties nullify and call back any announced play.

24. Fumbles are recovered at, and penalties marked off from point of scrimmage.

25. Loss on any one down is limited to lO-yards.

Indicated equals product of numbered dice.

It will be seen from the foregoing that most of the situations arising in football play are included Within the sphere of play of the device of the present invention, and that their simulation of the game board is realistic, despite the extreme simplicity and small size of the apparatus, so that a highly competitive spirit is develop-ed between the players which maintains their interest and enthusiasm for the game.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In game apparatus involving a game board having a longitudinal slot With playing position marks therealong, a dual indicator comprising a nrst element having slots formed in its opposite ends slidably receiving the edges of said slot to enable sliding said rst element to different selected positions along said slot designated by said position marks, and a second element rotatably mounted on said rst element on an axis extending transversely across said slot, said second element having peripheral facets to designate different phases of play in the positions assumed by said nrst element relative to said playing position marks When said second element is rotated to bring different facets uppermost.

2. In game apparatus involving a game board having a longitudinal slot With playing position marks therealong, a dual indicator comprising a rst element having slots formed in its opposite ends slidably receiving the edges of said slot to enable sliding said rst element to different selected positions along said slot designated by said position marks, and a second element rotatably mounted on said first element on an axis extending transversely across said slot, said second element having peripheral facets to designate different phases of play in the positions assumed by said first element relative to said playing position marks when said second element is rotated to bring different facets uppermost, said second element comprising a block positioned in said slot in the game board and formed with a bore rotatably receiving a portion of said rst element.

3. In game apparatus involving a game board having a longitudinal slot with playing position marks therealong, a dual indicator comprising a first element having slots formed in its opposite ends slidably receiving the edges of said slot to enable sliding said iirst element to different selected positions along said slot designated by said position marks, and a second element rotatably mounted on said first element on an axis extending transversely across said slot, said second element having peripheral facets to designate different phases of play in the positions assumed by said iirst element relative to said playing position marks when said second element is rotated to bring different facets uppermost, said second element comprising a block positioned in said slot in the game board and formed with a bore rotatably receiving a portion of said nrst element, said portion of said nrst element being substantially cylindrical and formed with a circular keyWay, and said second element having a key inserted in said lreyway whereby axial movement of Said second element relative to said first element is precluded.

4. Pocket football game apparatus comprising a pair of substantially similar inverted tray-like sections hinged endwise together to fold upon each other so as to form a closed container and to unfold into the same plane in endete-end relation into playing position and form a playing eld, mating longitudinal slots formed in said sections and opening through the facing ends thereof, and an indicator formed with slots in its ends adapted to receive the opposite edges of said longitudinal slots whereby said indicator can be inserted into position in said longitudinal slots through one oi said open ends While the sections are in a non-coplanar position and moved along substantially the entire length of said longitudinal slots While said sections are in coplanar playing position,

EDWARD* A. SPAUSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,614,881 Conley Jan. 18, 1927 1,819,932 Walden Aug. 18, 1931 1,992,475 Del-Iart Feb. 26, 1935 2,036,938 Hartman Apr. 7, 1936 2,141,761 Pollock Dec. 27, 1938 2,260,467 LeMay Oct. 28, 1941 

